X-Men (1975-1991): The Claremont Years

This is the first part of the massive X-Men map. It starts with Giant Size #1, because everything prior to that is fairly straightforward, and I think most people are getting those issues via Marvel Masterworks. I’ll post each section of the complete map as I get them finalized.
I don’t do volume numbers for three reasons:
1.) this was a long project, and I did not bind the volumes in order. I continued to refine the map as I was already sending other books in.
2.) I didn’t know how to count crossovers, since they could be seen as volumes in multiple series.
3.) I used officially produced TPBs and hardcovers in various places, which I was not able to contribute my own number to.

I’ll list the X-Factor volumes in this map, for chronological placement purposes, but for the full map of those books, go to this link: X-Factor (original team)

Also, I am not binding New Mutants. If I was, I would probably structure things differently, especially around UXM #167.

The first few volumes are constructed with issues of Classic X-Men. If a Classic X-Men issue is listed in the map, I’m referring to the backup story. I’ll refer to the main story by its proper issue number. Page numbers from an issue of Uncanny (for when an issue is spliced) are referring to the pages in the Classic X-Men reprint, which might be different due to the additional material.

The early volumes were originally designed as standalone books. Later on, I came up with an alternate map, seen at the bottom of this post.

(I used the Special Edition X-Men reprint for the Giant Size #1. That way, I was able to use the brand new back up story in a future volume. I also used the Giant Size #4 reprints for parts of #94, all of #95, and Classic X-Men #3. Finally, I used What If? #9 and #23 to pad out the volume.)

(The backups from Classic X-Men #18, 20, 25-28, and 30-34 were not written by Claremont.)

Dark Phoenix
UXM #129-137

Days of Future Past
UXM #138
UXM Annual #4
UXM #139-143

(For the previous two volumes, I just used the TPBs that Marvel made back around 2004 or so. As a result, I don’t have a map for the CXM backups during that time. But by this point, they were quickly sliding into filler material more than stories that could hold their own in X-Men canon. The backups ended as the series shifted to X-Men Classic.)

(Okay, I goofed on my first attempt to bind this one. I thought I did my research, and a lot of places list Avengers Annual #10 as taking place between UXM #149-150. However, actually reading the stories proves that to be impossible. Just look at Kitty Pryde’s costume that she debuts in #149…she’s still wearing it in #150, and the X-Men are on the same Blackbird flight. But, rebinding gave me the option to include Spider-Woman #37 and #38 – which I got in reprint form when I picked up Giant Size Spider-Woman #1 for a New Avengers book - which feature Siryn, a plot point picked up on in #148. Beware of the Avengers Annual #10 reprint that came with the Marvel Legends action figure; it cuts out 9 pages of story, most of it being Rogue’s plot. In fact, the reprint reduces her down to about 4 panels. Finally, the Bizarre Adventures story was reprinted in color in December 2017 in the True Believers: Phoenix – Bizarre Adventures one-shot.)

The Marvel Fanfare arc (#1-4) with Spidey and the X-Men in the Savage Land, available in TPB, goes here.

(Here’s where the Special Edition backup comes into play. The XMU backup isn’t necessary, but if you’re binding all the way through, you need some place to put it. This is a large volume, mainly because there is no way to break the story anywhere between #154 and 167. Also, reprint hunters, beware of X-Men Archives featuring Legion #4, which reprints UXM #161. It skips the last two pages of the story. UXM Annual #6 is available in X-Men vs. Dracula #1.)

From the Ashes
UXM #168-176

(I bound this the same way Marvel did the trade. Although, if I were to do it over, I might consider adding in the Wolverine limited series somewhere after #167 or before #172.)

(The New Mutants issues are included to complete the Kitty subplot from UXM #180. Also, a volume break was placed here because Secret Wars takes place between UXM #180-181, and that seems to be a great place for a volume break.)

I bought Marvel’s Premiere hardcover of Kitty Pryde and Wolverine and placed it between these volumes. The events are alluded to a few times at the end of “The Past of Future Days”, but the mini has to take place before UXM #192, when Kitty and Wolverine return to the team.

(This is the official Marvel HC that came out in 2009. If binding, I would offer an alternative and move New Mutants #73 to before X-Factor #37, so that the direct continuation of X-Factor #37 to UXM #242 is intact.)

—-X-Factor: Judgement War takes place here

Siege Perilous
UXM #244
UXM Annual #13 (b/u)
UXM #245-269

(The main story of UXM Annual #13 is part of Atlantis Attacks. I’m saving that for it’s own bind and not worrying about trying to place those annuals in the context of their main series. Originally, I was going to do this as two volumes, split somewhere around the Acts of Vengeance arc in #256-258, but for the sake of being cheap, just made one large book.)

(I originally planned to make #273-277 it’s own volume called “Crossroads”, and then have the Muir Island Saga – the rest of the issues in this volume - be it’s own book. But, in the interest of fewer volumes, I came up with this arrangement. This also helps the continuity, since X-Factor and the New Mutants guest star in #273.)

Alternate mapping of early volumes:

When I decided to redo the early part of my collection, I tightened the map up a bit. A lot of the Classic X-Men stories were removed when I used a trade of the Masterworks volume reprinting UXM #101-110. Most of those stories weren’t extremely relevant, and the few that I kind of wish I could keep would have caused pacing problems anyway. I also cut out as many non-Claremont backup stories as possible.

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7 Responses

We’re both taking different approaches to this. I’m going to number mine consecutively but I’m trying to figure out a overall name for the X-Men Universe. Any suggestions? I can’t think of anything better than just X-Men.

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been working on collecting 151-279 for binding and have been a little lost on how to proceed. I have the Omnibus and Vol 5 & 6 of Masterworks for issues 94-150. I’m still unsure what to call my binds as well.

Thanks for posting this. It’s been an invaluable resource as I work though binding this stuff. I’m not doing it precisely the same as you, mostly because I try to stay away from the dreaded 10-issue bind whenever possible, but I can’t thank you enough for helping me to track down those stray issues of Hulk or Thor that need to be included OR where some of the stupid annuals should go.